How to Get Started as a Coach

What is The Start Up Model?

After training thousands of coaches from around the world and watching as they struggled to grow their coaching business, we created The ICA Start Up Coaching Model.

In this recent Teleseminar, Robyn Logan (CEO) and Merci Miglino (ICA Training Director) will discuss the 3 principles needed to get started as a coach:

– Coach and Be Coached – Create a Profile – Get Over Yourself

The Cogs in the Wheel

Cog 1: Coach and Be Coached

As coaches we understand the profound changes the coaching process can bring about when it comes to setting and reaching goals. Yet, many of us feel coaching is an optional or non-essential service when we set out to grow a coaching business. This belief may be the very one standing in the way of your success. The world of business moves faster and gets more competitive every day. It’s becoming nearly impossible to keep up with changes in the industry as well as innovative sales and marketing strategies.

Objectivity and accountability is one of the greatest advantages of working with a coach and these are critical to keeping you focused, on track and inspired to meet and negotiate the inevitable setbacks and gaps in experience. A business coach may even be better than a consultant. With years of successful experience a coach provides valuable insight, gleaned from conversations with you on your unique long-term and short-term business goals. Having a business coach isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity if you are committed to make a good living coaching.

Maybe you can grow a coaching hobby or side job without the help of a coach, but it’s almost impossible to thrive, excel and realize those goals that are within sight but beyond reach right now.

Cog 2: Create a Profile

When you are starting out as a coach it is very important to get a profile as fast as you can. It’s not rocket science that if your clients cant find you they are not likely to hire you. And yet it is not uncommon to see coaches 12 months in to their training and still with no profile. As we discussed in this teleseminar there are many ways to get a profile, and you only need to choose 3 or 4 of them. In fact according to Merci Miglino you are better off going “9 miles” deep in one area rather than skimming the surface of a wide range of areas. Here are a few of the ways we looked at (note we dont mention “get a website”. Although this is also a good way, it does not have to be step 1)

get a facebook page and post regularly

get a LinkedIn profile, join other LinkedIn groups

get business cards

speak at local events

Get Over Yourself

Even brilliant entrepreneurs face getting in their our own way. So with deep regard, respect and a smile full of lightness, we say get over your self!

What do we need to get over? All those things that stop us from getting into action – things like perfectionism, doubt, our reasons for why we can’t have a successful coaching practice.

Whatever the reason, this significant way of thinking can squash your passion for coaching before the ink is dry on your coaching certificate.

We understand how perfectionism can have you wondering whether your idea is “good enough” to get coaching clients or delay your product launch because you want to keep tweaking the copy, the packaging and the marketing because your doubt that people want what you’re offering.